Improvement in harvesting-machines



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Harvesting-Machin-es. N0,156,8'04 Patented Nov.10,l874.

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Harvesting-Machines.

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s. o. LUGKE. Harvesting-Machines.

Patented Nov. 10,1874.

UNITED STATES" PA E LLQE I SYLVANUS D. LOOKE, OF HOOSIOK FALLS, NEWYORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,804, dated November10, 1874; application filed September 4, 1873.

CASE B.

of Hoosick Falls, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesters; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, ref erence being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a plan viewof my machine. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is aninner-sideelevation of one of the main wheel sector-plates. Fig. 4t is acrosssection of said sector-plate. Fig. 5 represents theshifting-ratchet on the main axle. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of oneof the tie-plates for the elevatorframe. Figs. 7 and 8 arecrosssections, showing the manner of securing the ends of the guardwires and strips. Fig. 9 is an inner-side elevation of the main wheel,frame, and device for controlling the tongue. Fig. 10 is a perspectiveview of the bracket guide-plate at the inner end of the cuttingapparatus. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the rear end of the tongueand its yoke. Fig. 12 is a perspective of one of the A-frame brackets.Fig. 13 is an elevation of the reelhub and beater. Fig. 14 is a sideview of one of the parts of the reel-hub. Fig. 15 is a front elevation,showing the front of the elevatorframe and its connection to the mainframe. Fig. 16 is a perspective, showing the feet of the bars of thefront of said frame and their connection to the main frame.

This invention 'relates to improvements in that class of harvesterswherein'the cut grain is received uponendless aprons or belts, andthereby conveyed to the side of the machine and delivered either uponthe ground in unbound gavels or into a binders receptacle; and itconsists, first, in the method of supporting the front side of theelevator-frame, so that the same shall be in advance of the points ofthe cutters and allow free space for the location and movement of thepitman; second, the method of constructing the A or elevator frame;third, in a bracket-plate constructed to form in one piece a guidewayfor the heel of the cutter-bar and a ledge to support the foot of theforward bar of the elevator-frame; fourth, in the method of raising orlowering the main axle as respects the frame; fifth, in the method ofsecuring the ends of the guideslats over which the grain is moved Whilebein g elevated.

That others may fully understand my in vention, I will more particularlydescribe it.

A is the main frame of the machine, constructed in form and mannersimilar to the frames of other machines of the same class. This frame issupported at its inner end by a main carrying-wheel, E, and at its outerend by a grain-wheel. The cutters D and guardfingers are arranged alongthe front edge of the main frame, as shown, and are located near theplane of the bottom thereof, so as .to enable the grain to be out verynear to its roots. The endless apron B receives the grain as it issevered by the cutters, and conveys it to the side of the machine, whereit is delivered to the elevating-apron F, and thereby carried above themain wheel E and delivered into a receptacle convenient for binding,either antomatically or by hand. This elevating-apron F is mounted upontwo rollers, one on the main frame and front A-frame, and the othersupported at the apex of the A frame G, which is supported upon the mainframe above the wheel E. The reel-shaft H, made of tubular metal,(gas'pipe serving a good purpose therefor,) is supported in adjustablebearings upon the reel-posts at the inner and outer ends of said mainframe, and. said reel is driven by a chain working over sprocket-wheelsa b, one of which is upon the hub of the main wheel E, and the otherupon said reel-shaft. The seat I for the driver is mounted upon the mainframe in a position where his weight may most effectually balance themachine. The main wheel E is mounted loosely upon an axle, c, which isadjustable up or down in grooved segment-standards J, though other meanswell known to mechanics may be employed for this purpose.

In order to effect an easy adjustment of the axle, I place upon each endthereof a pinion, g, and arrange the same to mesh with a rack,

h, placed upon the segment-standard J, so that,

if said axle is rotated, said pinions will traverse said racks, and theaxle will move up or down, as the case may be, and the relativepositions of the main wheel and main frame will be therebycorrespondingly changed. The required rotation of the axle e is easilyeffected by means of the ratchet 70, and a suitable wrench,

L, the former secured to said axle, and the other carried upon themachine, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5; or the set-screw z' may be employedto lock the wheel E fast to the axle 6, when the forward or backwardmotion of the machine itself will cause the required revolution andchange of adjustment of the axle e.

Machines of this class have heretofore been constructed with the cuttersoperated by a long lever extending backward, from near the centerthereof, through the main frame, said lever being operated by acrank-shaft upon the inner side of the main wheel.

In the machine heretofore patented to me, 30th August, 1870, acrank-shaft is employed, located upon the outer side of thedrivingwheel, and operating a pitman in line with the cutters.

In the machine herein described the crankshaftcA is mounted in bearin gsupon the crossbar '0, at the end of the main frame, and is driven by acounter-shaft, m, which is actuated by a cog-rim upon the main wheel E.At the forward end of said shaft A there is a crank-wheel, M, to drivethe pitman N and cutters D; and on the rear end of said shaft there is asprocket-wheel, 0, to actuate a chain, by means of which thesprocket-wheel P Q, at the ends of the driving'rollers for aprons B andF, are both driven. The adjustable guide-roller R serves to conduct saidchain properly upon the sprocket-wheels, and also to take up the slackthereof, so as to insure its proper working. Said chain is constructedin some wellknown way adapted for use upon a sprocketwheel. It passesfrom wheel 0 directly to wheel P, and thence under roller R to wheel Q,and downward again to the wheel 0. The apron F'is provided withtransverse cleats, studded with projecting tines or fingers, to seizethe cut grain and forcibly carry it up over the wheel E. The grain doesnot come in contact with said belt F, but is caused to slide overguard-slats a, between which said fingers protrude; and to prevent itsdisplacement by the wind or other causes, guide-wires p are secured to afloating guard-board, S, and extend upward therefrom over the top of theA-frame, and insure the delivery of the grain. This part of my inventionrefers to the method of securing the fast ends of the guard-slats a andguide-wires p. The slats a are generally made of wood, and tipped ateach end with metal. in a rabbet made in the bar 8, at the top of theA-fra-me G, with a steady-pin, r, projecting through a suitable orificein said tip. A wooden strip, u, is then placed in said rabbet andfastened there by screws, thereby eon- The ends of said metallic tips Iplace fining all of said tips in place securely. The lower ends of saidguard-strips are secured to the floor of the main frame in a similarway, except that no rabbet is required, the pins being set directly insaid floor. The guide-wires have their ends bent at right angles andplaced in holes made in the floating guard-board S, while groovesextending from said holes to the edge of said board receive a portion ofthe guard-wire itself, as shown in Fig. 8. A strip, 15, is then placedalong the edge of the board S, covering all of said grooves and holes,and with a very few screws securing all of said floating wires at oneoperation. The floating guard-board S is attached by springs T to astationary bar, U, by means of which it is not only controlled, but ispressed down upon the grain which the apron F is elevating, and itslimit of approach to the guide-slats n (to adapt it to the quantity ofgrain passing over said slats) is regulated by adjustingstraps V, whichextend from said board to tie bar U. The A -frame G is constructed withbars of suitable dimensions, joined at their tops, their bottoms asunderand supported upon metallic brackets secured to the main frame. At thefront of the machine it is required that the edge of the elevating-apronF shall be in advance of the front edge of the horizontal apron B,because the butts of the cut grain, as it falls upon the apron B, willproject over the front edge of the same, and the elevating-apron mustproject equally, or the butts will be liable to entanglement. Itherefore mount the front part of the A-frame upon projecting brackets20 y, (the latter being shown in Figs. 10 and 12,) cast in one piecewith a guideway for the heel of the cutter-bar and pitmanjoint, and aledge to support the inner divider, W. The guide for the heel of thecutter-bar and pitman joint has heretofore been made close to the end ofthe cutter, and as a part of the inner shoe or divider; but the lowerroller of the elevator-apron, if advanced so far as the points of thecutters, interferes with the operation of a straight pitman moving inline with said cutter-bar. I therefore elongate the cutter-bar and makethe guideway for its heel and the pitman-joint in the bracket'plate y,at a distance from the inner cutter sufficient to permit the presence ofthe said lower roller between said pitman-joint and the inner shoe ordivider, whereby the front edge of the elevating-apron may be advancedas far as the points of the cutters without impeding. the operation ofthe straight pitman and cutters reciprocating in the same verticalplane. The A or elevator frame is also supported in advance of thecutter bar upon brackets which leave free space for the locationand'operation of the pitman. The A-frame is secured together at the topby a tie-plate, X, shown in perspective in Fig. 6. Said tieplates servenot only to unitethe tops of the A-frame, but they also form bearingsfor the upper roller of the elevatingapron F, and, by

their projection beyond the A-frame, they support also the bar 8, towhich the upper ends of the guard-slats a are secured. The elevation ofthe cutters is controlled by a flexible tongue, B, jointed to the mainframe and adjustable at the will of the driver. The tongue B passesthrough an elongated yoke, 0, secured to the front of the main frame toprevent any lateral movement of said yoke, but to permit it to move upand down freely. Said yoke is made of metal, and it is secured to saidframe by a bracket, 0, which also serves as a point or place ofattachment for the foot of the reel-post d. The tongue is controlled bya lever, D, located so as to be convenient to the hand of the driver,and provided with a locking device, said lever being connected by a rod,6, with the arm E, which is rigidly secured to the rear end of thetongue. The ends of the apron B are joined, by means of straps f, in theusual manner, but they do not, alone, bring the edges together in adesirable manner, for the reason that said straps cannot, at both sides,be stitched close to the end of belt, else, after the same had been inuse for a time, and had become stretched, it would prevent thetightening of the straps. I therefore attach cords to the free ends ofthe said apron, and secure the same to staples set in the cleat hnearest the opposite end of the apron; and in that way I am enabled tokeep the ends of the apron snug and tight, and effectually to preventthe entrance of the straw and grain to the space between the two partsof the apron. The reel-hub F is made in two parts, one of which issecured rigidly to the shaft H. Said parts are counterparts of eachother, and are secured together by bolts 1'. The said parts areconstructed to form sockets 70 for the reception of the ends of the armsm of the reel-heaters a. A steady-pin, 0, is inserted in each of saidreel-arms, and said pins rest in notches made in the hub F for thatpurpose, so that said arms are securely retained in place, even thoughthe bolts may not clamp them very firmly. I construct the reelbeaters nand their arms m with a joint connecting them, so that when the mawhennot in use, rendered very much less liable to injury. An adjustabletightening-roller may be attached to the A-frame, inside of theelevating-apron, to take up the slack of the same.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The bracket X,constructed as described, and used to connect the upper end of the frameG G, and to support the bar 8, sub stantially as described.

2. The bracket to and ledge y, when used to support the front side ofthe elevator-frame G G, said bracket attached to main frame, and ledgeto finger-beam, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The bracket w, attached to the main frame, for supporting theelevator-frame, constructed as described, so as to allow free space forthe location and movement of the pitman.

4. The A-frame, composed of bars G G, combined with bracket 20 and ledge31,0011- structed as described, and the tie plate bracket X, formed tosupport the journal of the upper apron-roll and the bans, as set forth.

5. In combination with the finger-beam, the cast bracket-plate y,constructed to form, in one piece, a guideway for the heel of thecutter-bar and ledge for the attachment of the.

foot of the forward bar G of the elevator or A-frame.

6; The main axle 0, having secured thereto the pinions g g and the racksh h, secured to the main frame, combined with the set-screw t, or itsequivalent, to lock the axle to the wheel for the purpose of raising orlowering the frame as the main wheel is turned.

7. The described method of securing the guide-slats n with thesteady-pins r and binding-strips a, as set forth.

SYLVANUS D. LOGKE. Witnesses:

LYN P. Woon, Enwn. H. VALENTINE.

